THR and Weight

Hi everyone,
I am curious regarding weight with my hip replacement (I am scheduled for March 24th). I'm a bigger girl and concerned with my prognosis due to this. My surgeon did not seem to be concerned and said that of course it would be better to lose some weight before surgery (I am working on this) but that the new hip will give me the ability to excercise the way I want and need to. I am both excited and scared to death. I really want this and I know it will improve my life so much. I am just curious regarding the rehab and surgery itself. Any suggestions or comments would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks every so much,
KRioux

Hello KRioux
Oh how excited you sound to have your surgery date coming soon. It's only natural to be scared.. I too have lots of fears/anxieties over the surgery and the following rehab.
There are so many good posts here and I'm sure if you keep reading, you'll find you are not alone. I am on a waiting list to see a surgeon and then another waiting list for surgery.

As for being heavy, everything I've read said that losing weight helps alot as it takes alot of pressure off the hip joints, and I know it's easier to say than to actually do, so good for you that you are working on this. Your surgeon doesn't seem too concerned, so just keep up the good nutrition and soon you'll be able to add exercise to the mix and thus, everything will improve. I've read so many inspirational stories, that it gives me lots of hope also.

Take good care of yourself and keep up the postive thinking and you'll do great.

Hi Thomasinna,
Thanks so much for the reply. I come back every day hoping just one person would send me something. You say what I feel and I'm with you on the scared part. But like you I have read sooooooooo many inspirational stories. My bone structure is good with no issues with the other hip or my knees. Thank goodness, so I am hoping for a speedy recovery. Keep me posted on your appt and when your surgery will be. I plan to begin a blog regarding my surgery and recovery for others to read. I have had the pleasure of reading a few blogs and that has also helped me. Again thanks for the response.

Hi KRioux
Oh, I know what it's like to post your first question and then wait for folks to answer.
I am quite isolated, as I live in the country, am home all day alone, without a car and there is no bus service available, thus I don't see many people other than my husband in the evenings. My family all live quite a distance away so I don't get to see them often.
I have found these boards to be so helpful in relieving the isolation factor and talking to people who are going through the same thing is so nice.. It has taken away many of my anxieties.

That is good that your bone structure and knees are strong, you should do well with recovery. The part that I'm having difficulty with is looking after the house and dogs when my husband goes to work. He will take a couple of weeks off when I have the surgery and then I'm on my own. It's the not being able to bend over problem.. with 4 dogs bounding about, this worries me.. I love them all to pieces, so will have to figure things out.
Well, I look forward to hearing more from you to see how you are doing.
Take care,
Thomasinaa

Hi KRioux
Oh, I know what it's like to post your first question and then wait for folks to answer.
I am quite isolated, as I live in the country, am home all day alone, without a car and there is no bus service available, thus I don't see many people other than my husband in the evenings. My family all live quite a distance away so I don't get to see them often.
I have found these boards to be so helpful in relieving the isolation factor and talking to people who are going through the same thing is so nice.. It has taken away many of my anxieties.

That is good that your bone structure and knees are strong, you should do well with recovery. The part that I'm having difficulty with is looking after the house and dogs when my husband goes to work. He will take a couple of weeks off when I have the surgery and then I'm on my own. It's the not being able to bend over problem.. with 4 dogs bounding about, this worries me.. I love them all to pieces, so will have to figure things out.
Well, I look forward to hearing more from you to see how you are doing.
Take care,
Thomasinaa

Thanks so much. Wow big dogs would scare me too. We just have a little lhasa opsa. He is a dear, and does not jump on me. I am going to go into Rehab first for a week and then come home. At least I'm hoping my insurance takes care of that. My partner plans to take a few days I think and keep an eye on me. He then wants to set up for someone to come in to the house. I don't know how we do it without bending. My future daughter in law is an occupational therapist and she is going to cover everything with me when we go to Boston next weekend. When is your surgery or did you say you were waiting. I will need to go back and check. Is there someone that you know of that can take care of the dogs for a few weeks.

Hi KRioux
I''m still waiting to see the ortho surgeon, my appointment is April 8, then it's another waiting list for surgery, so I don't know exactly when I'll get in. I am hoping it's around June, then I'll have the summer months to recouperate.

You are fortunate to have a future daughter in law that's an occupational therapist. Would you be willing to share the information that she has for you?

My husband plans on taking 2 weeks off, then I'm on my own, unless one of my sisters can take a bit of time off work and come and stay. The dogs should be OK, I have one old small Jack Russell, a really old big dog that lays about most of the time (very mixed breed), and it's the younger ones, both medium size, a Border Collie and an Australian Shepherd that are the most demanding exercise wise. We do have a big fenced yard and they play, so I'm sure we'll get through this.. No one I know would be willing to take on 4 dogs!!! So, we'll get it sorted some how. My husband and I are real suckers for rescue dogs and that's how they all came to us.. They all get along, so that's not a problem.

How are you doing with your weight loss progam. It's not easy, but stick with it. I lost 15lbs last year and keeping it off has been such a challenge, especially since my ability to walk has decreased so much.. calorie cutting seems to be the only way and this week I lonly lost .5 of a pound, but that's better than gaining.

Hi Thomasina,
I will be so happy to share everything with you regarding my surgery, the stay, my daughter in law and her help. I'm doing alot of researching and I'm getting all my ducks in a row as I'm sure we all are here. I'm so so so sorry that you have to wait so long. I feel so lucky that I went in, he looked at me, xrayed me and said when your ready you let me know, because you can use it anytime. I'm bone on bone as I think most of us are. So I called a few weeks later and they scheduled me. I'm very lucky. I will stay in close contact with you. So sorry it took me so long to respond..so much going on and I'm always running.
Kim

Oh so sorry I just read the part about your weight loss...KUDOS!!! I dont' weigh myself anymore, I just watch everything that goes in my mouth. I'm going back to the gym to start swimming and get my upper body strength better. My boyfriend is really pushing me to get myself strong before the surgery. He is right and so I'm moving forward with that. He has said that when I am home every night ( I normally work nights) he is going to cook healthy so we don't have to worry about my gaining weight while I am somewhat sedentary. Keep up the GREAT work on your weight. a half a pound is a half a pound and that's 1 and a half pounds off your joint. Remember every pound is 3 on the joint. Scary huh!!
Kim

Hey there! I haven't stopped by this forum for awhile but just saw your post... I had a THR about 2 1/2 yrs ago and I was about 75 lbs. overweight at the time and there were no adverse problems at all (OK, well, they kind of gave me a saddlebag pooch on the side where they sewed me back up, trying to pack all my extra padding back in I guess, but it's really not that bad, and I don't plan to be strutting around in a bikini anyway, lol), so don't sweat it! And no one ever said I had to lose weight before I had it done.

I have actually lost about 30 lbs since then, without trying even... and I attribute it to being able to move again!

Hey there! I haven't stopped by this forum for awhile but just saw your post... I had a THR about 2 1/2 yrs ago and I was about 75 lbs. overweight at the time and there were no adverse problems at all (OK, well, they kind of gave me a saddlebag pooch on the side where they sewed me back up, trying to pack all my extra padding back in I guess, but it's really not that bad, and I don't plan to be strutting around in a bikini anyway, lol), so don't sweat it! And no one ever said I had to lose weight before I had it done.

I have actually lost about 30 lbs since then, without trying even... and I attribute it to being able to move again!

Good luck!

Thanks so much Sally for the reply. It's much appreciated. I'm a little over 75 pounds overweight, but I'm not huge in my book and others. But I was worried about the ramifications on the rehab afterward becuase of it. I don't plan on wearing a bikini either..lol. Haven't done that since I was 16. How was your recouperation? Did it go without any adverse problems. Have a great day!
Kim

Recuperation was pretty much as they said it would be. A good two months before I could comfortably drive, etc. Not fun at first, but I managed through. It took almost a year to be able to reach my foot to get my own socks on, lol, but that was about the worst thing. Oh, and being able to sleep on the incision side too took about that long too, but from what I've read most can lay on it sooner. My life is a world of difference now that I'm not in constant pain too. Now I just have to look forward to having the other one done, probably in the next 2-3 years.